


Open Your Eyes

by obs3ss1ons



Category: Station 19 (TV)
Genre: Coma, Confessed Love, Episode 2:07, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-01
Updated: 2019-02-01
Packaged: 2019-10-20 07:29:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17618102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obs3ss1ons/pseuds/obs3ss1ons
Summary: Ryan refuses to leave Andy's bedside after the aid car accident.





	Open Your Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I ship them. Do they have an official name, though?
> 
> This takes place right after episode 2:07 while Andy and Sullivan are still in the hospital. **Andy is in a coma, so if this might trigger you beware.**

This wasn't supposed to happen. She wasn't supposed to get hurt, especially not while in the aid car. If she'd been in a burning building or performing a dangerous rescue, well, he expected her to get hurt then. But he always thought she was safe when she was on aid car. Now he knew otherwise.

Ryan rubbed his thumb over the back of Andy's unmoving hand. If only she would respond to his caress. She just needed to squeeze his hand or open her eyes. Something to let him know she would wake up again. That she would come back to him. That he wouldn't be forced to tell his best friend goodbye.

“How's she doing?” came a quiet voice from the doorway. Ryan glanced over to see Maya standing there, staring at the bed. Her eyes were red but dry.

“About the same,” Ryan managed to say, his voice rough with emotion. “Where's Mr. Herrera?”

Maya used her thumb to point over her shoulder. “He stopped to check on Sullivan.”

Ryan refocused on Andy's face. He lifted a hand to stroke across her bandaged head. He longed to run his fingers through her hair. But this was all he could get – would be for a while yet. He just hoped it wouldn't be the last picture he would ever have of her.

“I can stay with her,” Maya spoke up from the other side of the bed.

He never moved his gaze. “I'm good.”

“You need to eat something.”

This time he did look up. “I'm not going anywhere until she wakes up.”

“Tanner,” Pruitt Herrera said as he entered the room. “Go. Get something to eat. Check on your father. Sleep in a bed.”

Ryan spoke in what he thought of as his ‘cop voice’. “With respect, Sir, I am not leaving Andy's side until she tells me to. I'm not hungry. My father is in prison. And I sleep perfectly fine in this chair.”

Pruitt and Maya exchanged glances. Ryan turned back to Andy. It had been three days since the aid car she was in was found down an embankment. Sullivan’s body had been thrown onto hers when the vehicle landed on its side. Andy's head busted through the window and struck a rock. So far, the doctors kept saying it was possible that she would wake up. But Ryan knew that her chances diminished with each day that passed.

“How is Sullivan?” Maya asked.

“He's sitting up and finally allowed to eat some soft foods,” Pruitt answered. “He's worried about Andrea.”

Ryan huffed. “He should.”

Maya's voice was a little stronger when she said, “Ryan, you know the accident wasn't his fault.”

He met her gaze. “No, but he put her in that vehicle with him.”

“No, he didn't,” Maya told him. She lowered her head and grasped Andy's other hand. “I guess technically I did that. She took my place so I could have the chance to impress Ripley.”

“Oh, Maya,” Pruitt soothed as he moved behind her. He placed a hand on her shoulder. “Andy would do anything for you. Either of you.”

Ryan lifted his gaze to Pruitt's. The man was watching him. He was always watching him. Lately it seemed he actually cared about Ryan. Like he wanted to make sure Ryan was happy. It had just taken thirty years and a heart attack for him to start showing it.

He felt a tightness on his hand and looked down where he gripped Andy's. The tight feeling happened again, but this time he saw it. Andy's fingers moved. Ryan leaned toward her, wrapping her hand in both of his. “Andy? Can you do that again?”

“What's happening?” Maya asked.

“She squeezed my hand,” Ryan said. Then Andy did it again. Maya started crying again. Ryan felt tears slide over his cheeks.

Pruitt placed a hand on Andy's leg. “Come on, Mija. Open your eyes for us.”

This time she squeezed Maya's hand. She squeezed back and said, “I'm right here, Andy. So is your dad and Ryan. Wake up so we can see you.”

Andy made a low moaning noise. Ryan's gaze flew to her face. Her eyelids moved as if her eyes were jerking, but they didn't open. He stroked her head again and whispered, “Come back to us, Andy. You can't give up. I need you.”

An alarm went off on the monitor next to her bed. Ryan looked up at it. Her heartbeat, which had been a steady rhythm the whole time, had jumped up to just over one hundred. He looked back down. Her eyelids moved faster.

“Let me take a look,” her doctor said, trying to push in beside Ryan. He stood and tried to move out of the way. When he loosened his grip on Andy's hand, hers tightened. The doctor noticed and gave him an encouraging smile. “She's reaching out to you. That's a good sign.”

“What about her heart rhythm?” Ryan inquired.

The doctor finished checking Andy. “I think it's her body responding to you. Maybe something you said. She's showing signs of waking up. Just keep talking to her.”

Ryan sat back down as soon as the doctor left. He placed the hand not holding Andy's against her head. Watching her face for any signs, he told her, “It's time to wake up, Andy. Just open your eyes. I need you to look at me so I can tell you how much I love you.”

Maya gasped. Ryan glanced up. She was crying – something they'd all done a lot of lately – but she was smiling. So was Pruitt. But his smile was directed at him, and it held the approval Ryan had been trying to earn for years.

It was then that Ryan realized what he'd just done. Not only had he confessed his love for Andy, but he did it in front of her best friend and her dad. At least they didn't get angry or throw him out. It would take both of them and hospital security to pry him away from Andy. Especially now that she was almost crushing his hand.

Andy moaned again. Ryan ran his fingers over her head gently. “It's okay, Andy. Just open your eyes. I'm right here.”

Her eyelids flickered. Pruitt leaned over the bed. “You're safe, Andrea. We're here waiting for you.”

This time the movement of her eyelids was definitely an upward motion. Ryan stood and leaned over her. Hoping Pruitt wouldn't pull him away from her, Ryan pressed his lips against Andy's. He kept it brief – just enough to show her that he was there. Then he sat back down while keeping his eyes focused on hers.

When her eyelids flickered again, Ryan actually saw a glimpse of her eyes. He kept talking in a soothing tone, repeating the words he'd already said. His heart sped up each time she moved or made a sound. Andy was coming back to him. She was taking her time about it, but she wasn't going to leave him.

It felt like hours had passed when Andy's lips moved for the first time. No sound came out, but her mouth tried to open. Maya grabbed the cup of water with a sponge that they'd used to keep her lips moist over the last three days. She dabbed the wet sponge against Andy's lips, and the tip of her tongue appeared.

Ryan and Maya shared excited smiles. He squeezed Andy's hand and said, “I know you want to talk. You have to wake up first. Concentrate on opening your eyes.”

She heard him. Her eyelids moved, and not in the jerky motion they had been. Ryan's breath caught in his throat. He was pretty sure his heart stopped. His thumb started caressing her hand again, earning his hand another squeeze. Then her eyes opened for maybe half a second. Just long enough for the three people who loved her most to cry tears of happiness.

“You can do it, Andy,” Maya coached. “Just open those eyes so we can see them.”

A few more tries later, and Ryan finally saw Andy's beautiful brown eyes. They were unfocused, but they were open. His heart just about jumped out of his chest. He didn't bother to wipe away his tears or hide the emotion in his voice. “Hi there.”

Andy frowned for a second. Her mouth opened, then closed. Her tongue slid out one side and moved across her lips. Then she finally said her first word since the accident. “Ryan.”

Pruitt's watery voice said, “Well, I see who she came back for.”

Maya laughed. Ryan smiled and kissed Andy again. When he pulled away, her sparkling eyes were watery. He repeated the words that had brought her back to him. “I need you in my life, Andy. I love you.”

Andy's second word had all three of her loved ones laughing. “Ryan.”


End file.
